This presentation focuses on French subject pronouns used to refer to people. It discusses the pronouns je/I, tu/you (informal singular), vous/you (formal or plural), il/he, elle/she, nous/we, ils/they (masculine or mixed group), elles/they (feminine group), and on/one or people in general. The presentation provides examples of when each pronoun is used and who or what it refers to, such as tu being used between friends or family and vous being used when speaking to strangers or in formal situations.

1. Subject pronouns
French

2. Subject pronouns…
…are words that replace a proper noun, when the
noun is the subject of a sentence.
Like instead of saying John eats candy,
you say He eats candy.
Or instead of saying your own name, you say “I.”
This presentation focuses on understanding
French subject pronouns to talk about people.

3. I

4. je
Je m’appelle
Bob.

5. Je m’appelle
je
Raquelle.

6. you For more than one person or
For a person you know well someone you don’t know well

7. tu
you – for a person you know well
Non, Floyd,
mais tu as
Julie, tu as mon
mon chapeau.
crayon?
People who call each other by their
first name use “tu” to say “you.”

8. tu
you – for a person you know well
Tu es
Tu es
formidable!
géniale!
Friends call each other “tu”
when they’re talking to one
person at a time.

9. tu
You – kid talking to another kid
Marc, et
Salut, toi?
comment tu
t’appelles?
Call another kid or teen “tu”
even if you don’t know him
yet.

10. tu
you – for a person you know well
Tu aimes
ce livre?
Members of a
family call each
other “tu” when
they’re talking
to one person at
a time.

11. tu you – talking to an animal
Tu veux un
café?
Je préfère un
hamburger.
People always
call a pet “tu”!

12. tu
you
vous

13. Vous aimez le
chocolat?
vous
When you’re talking to more than one person,
you - plural
use “vous” to say you .

14. Vous voulez
une citrouille?
Vous aimez la
salade?
This includes two or more friends or family. vous you - plural

15. Vous voulez
jouer au foot?
Always use “vous” when you’re talking to
2 or more people.
vous you - plural

16. Vous avez
raison,
Madame.
vous
When you’re talking to a stranger or someone
more formal, it’s respectful to use “vous.”
you - formal

17. Monsieur et Merci,
Madame Shay, docteur. Vous
vous allez très êtes très
bien. Ne vous gentil.
inquiétez pas.
vous
For formal situations, use “vous” whether
you’re talking to one or more persons. you - formal

18. Vous
comprenez?
vous
you - formal

19. he

20. Il porte un
chapeau.
Il est petit.
il
Il aime lire.

21. she

22. Elle adore lire.
elle Elle s’appelle
Hilda.
Elle est
très
petite.

23. we

24. nous
Nous sommes
Nous sommes
contents!
la famille
Bibitty!

25. one we
they
you
people

26. En France on aime beaucoup
les crêpes!.

27. they

28. ils
Ils sont américains.

29. they

30. Elles font de l’exercice.
Elles sont amies.
elles

32. I

34. you - singular, informal

36. vous
you - plural

38. vous
you - formal

40. he

42. elle
she

44. nous
We –
specific
people

46. on
Non-specific --
we/they/you/one
/ people in general

48. ils They :
specific group,
all male or mixed
male/female

50. elles
They :
specific group,
all female

51. elle
je
elles

52. il
je
ils
ils

53. Vite!!
• tu means… • you (talking to one person/first name basis)
• vous means… • you (talking to a group or someone formal)
• elle means… • she
• il means… • he
• nous means… • we
• ils means… • they (talking about a group of males or males & females)
• elles means… • they (talking about a group of females)
• on means… • people or we (not too specific)
• je means… • I

54. Vite!!
• you • tu or vous, depends who you’re talking to
• I • je
• she • elle
• we • nous or on, depends how specific
• they • ils or elles, depends who you’re talking about
• he • il

55. Created by
Margaret Kohler
May 12, 2012
Pictures from clipart.com and random
web searches. For educational use
only. No copyright infringement
intended.